1. Technical Field
The invention relates to information processing. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and system for consolidating and distributing health care records.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Providing effective management and organization for the health care system is a continuing need. Many attempts have been made to improve communication, for example, among insurers, health care providers, health plan sponsors, and patients. However, the health care system is still subject to significant problems in accurate record maintenance, access to information, and communication among various organizations and agencies.
Pritchard, Medical Insurance Verification and Processing System, U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,725 (1 Jan. 1985) discloses a system for verifying and determining a patient's background medical and insurance coverage. However, Pritchard does not integrate other essential participants in the modern health care system. For example, a user cannot locate and schedule appointments with health care specialists, or research treatment options using the system disclosed in Pritchard.
Each user of an integrated health care system may maintain records and computer operations that are not to be distributed to the other users of the system. Such information as personnel records and internal disciplinary records are typically confidential. However, it can be desirable for the user to also be able to access these records as a part of the integrated health care system. For example, the user may wish to compare the treatment requirements of a patient with the discipline records of a health care practitioner to determine if it is appropriate to assign a case to a particular practitioner. It is therefore desirable that the integrated health care system permit both restricted local and unrestricted system-wide uses. However, the Pritchard system does not disclose the structure or functionalities for providing both such local and system-wide uses in the same system.
Cummings, All Care Health Management System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,105 (5 Apr. 1994), describes a system for integrating the participants in a health care system. The Cummings system is designed for use by those directly involved in an individual patient's health care program. Such users include the patient, health care provider, bank or other financial institution, insurance company, utilization reviewer and employer. However, the Cummings system is not designed for use by other participants in the health care system, such as medical researchers, and public agencies. Furthermore, Cummings does not disclose support for health care data reporting standards. Thus, the various users of the Cummings system will need to convert the non-standardized information retrieved from the system for use in other health care reporting applications.
Additionally, Cummings does not support auxiliary functionalities that are often essential to providing total health care for a patient. For example, Cummings does not disclose support for such functionalities as Social Security, annuity, retirement account, and other benefit information.
The rapid transmission of data to the appropriate sources is frequently of critical importance in providing health care. Portable input devices, such as personal digital assistants, are increasingly being used for creating, maintaining, and transmitting data records. However, neither Cummings nor Pritchard discusses the use of such portable input devices.
It would therefore be an advantage to provide a method and system for integrating the various participants in a health care system that permits both restricted local and unrestricted system-wide uses. It would be a further advantage if such method and system supported auxiliary functionalities related to providing total health care. It would be yet another advantage if the method and system supported the use of portable data input devices to rapidly create, maintain, and transmit data records.